North America Distribution

Facts About

Retrorse sedge inhabits gets its name from the fact that the lower perigynia on the spike point roughly downward along the stem. It inhabits stream and lake shores, swamps, marshes and grassy meadows throughout New England.

Habitat

Marshes, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps

Characteristics

Habitat

wetlands

New England state

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Vermont

stem leaf blade width

3–10 mm

Lowest bract sheath

the lowest bract has no sheath (or a very short sheath up to four millimeters in length)

Spike on stalk

the lowest spike on the plant has a peduncle

the lowest spike on the plant is not borne on a peduncle

Top spike

the uppermost spike contains both staminate and carpellate flowers, with the carpellate flowers located below, or intermixed with, the staminate flowers

Native to North America?

Sometimes Confused With

bract of lowermost carpellate spike with a blade up to 2.5 times as long as the inflorescence and staminate spikes numbering 2-5 per inflorescence, well elevated above the uppermost carpellate spike (vs. C. retrorsa, with the bract of lowermost carpellate spike with a blade (2.5–) 3–9 times as long as the inflorescence and staminate spike usually solitary, barely elevated above the uppermost carpellate spike).